Rotary take-up for sewing machines



Aug. 19. 1924. 1,505,142

J. J. HEAP ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April ll, 1919 4 SheetsSheet l 'U1/wen tot w (s w@l www @y =vwwwwwwwwww w ww Aug, x9, 1924. 1,505,142"

J. J. HEAP ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April ll, 1919, 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 i www l.` s Y IHRww N I Q (D 5 A www-O wwwwwwwwww O- E @Nimm m C J. J. HEAP ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed April ll', 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,142

-J. J. HEAP ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Abril ll. 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet nari PATENT FFlCE.

rares PANY, QF CHIGAGO.

ROTARY TAKE-UP FOR SEWING MACHKNFIS,

Application filed .April 11, 1.919. Serial No. 289,218.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Jnssn J. Hear, a' citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Taka Ups for Sewing Machines, of which the fol-` lowing is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

VEhe invention relates to new and useful improvements in rotary take-ups for sewing machines, and more particularly to a rotary take-up used in connection with a threaded looper. p

Prior to my invention rotary take-*ups for a threaded looper, having eccentric portions and co-operating thread guiding and thread holding fingers, have been used, as shown, for example, inthe patent granted to Russel G. lVoodward, November 27th, 1906, No. @36,8%9. ln the patented structure, referred to, there are two spaced take-up cam discs between which the controlling fingers ezt-- tend. ln a device of this character, when the looper thread breaks, it is liable to be wound on to the shaft between the take-up discs and it is very diiiicult to remove the thread when so wound into the ma chine.

in object of the present invention is to i provide a take-up mechanism of the character shown in the lltloodward patent, with a take-up cam which is substantially of one solid portion, so thatthere can be no chance of the thread, if broken, winding between the sections of the take-up cam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a take-up mechanism of the above character, with take-up fingers disposech upon opposite sides of the cam and co-oper ating therewith in its thread controlling action.

A still further object of the invention isv to provide a take-up mechanism of the above character, wherein the take-up camis formed of one single part, and used with a single check linger for retaining the thread.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

ln the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention- Figure l is a view showing a portion of a sewing machine having my improved takeup` mechanism applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the parts beneath the work support;

Figure 3 is a side view of my improved take-up cam;

Figure t is a sectional view on the line Lit-t of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional view centrally through the take-up cam in a plane at right angles to the axis of rotation of the cam;

Figure 6 is a view showing more or less diagrammatically the bed plate, 'the rotating cam and the associated controlling fingers with the parts in position so that the cam is just starting in its take-up action on the looper thread;

Figure 7 is a similar view, but showing the takeaip cam'in position for holding` the looper thread after the maximum amount of slack has been taken up;

Figure 8 is a similar view, but showing` the take-up cam in position where the looper thread is entirely released from any action thereon;

Figure `9 is a top plan view, the ing shown in position at the last its take-up movement.

In carrying out my invention, l have provided a rotary take-up mechanism for a threaded loo Der, which is in operation of the general ciaracter of that shown in the Woodward patent, above referred to. ln

cam bepart of -my improved take-up mechanism, the controlling 'cam is formed of one solid piece, having a groove 1n its periphery, through out a portion thereof, in which the checkl fingerfor retaining the looper thread ope-rates. This take-up cam has a concentric portion for holding the thread and the nose or eXtreme end of the check finger entends into the groove a su'tlicient ditanee so as to retain the thread on the concentric portion of the rotating cam. rlhe groove, how ever, is very shallow and located wholly at the periphery of the cani. At the opposite sides of the cani are fingers which cooperate with the eccentric portions of the rotary cam in taking up the slack in the looper thread and in transferring or shift ing the looper thread on to the concentric portion of the rotating cam. The check iinger is mounted so that it may be adjusted for varyingy the time at which the looper thread is released and the thread holding lingers at the sides of the rotating cam are also adjustable.

The essential features of my invention consists in the forming of the takeup cam in one single piece, so that there is no liability of the looper thread, if broken, Winding in or about the parts of the takeup cam, and in providing a single check finger which (2o-operates with the single solid controlling cam for retaining the thread thereon, and also in providing the thread holding fingers at each side of the cam with which the camco-operates in taking up the slack in the looper thread. l

Referring more in detail to the drawings, I have shown my invention as applied to a sewing machine having a bed plate 1, carrying a work support 2. The machine is provided with-an overhanging arm 3, in which a needle bar 4- reciprocates, carrying, as herein shown, a single needle 5. The needle bar is reciprocated by a needle lever 6 which is connected to the needle bar by a link 7. Cooperating with the needle 5, beneath the work support, is a threaded looper 7. This looper is mounted on a looper carrier 8, which is pivoted at 9 to a looper rocker support 10, andthe looper carrier is oscillated by a link 11. These parts are of the usual construction in a double locked chain stitch mechanism, and description thereof is not thought necessary. It may be noted, however, that in this type of machine the looper moves forward into the needle loop, and this, together with the feedof the fabric and the looper side travel, forms the thread triangle consisting of the looper thread, the needle thread loop and .the body of the looper, in which triangle the needle enters in forming the stitch.

The rotary take-up cam of my improve-v ment is designed particularly for controlling the looper' thread, so as to insure the proper formation of the thread triangle for the needle to enter and also to control t-he looper thread so as to give proper slack thereto for the movements of the looper at the rear end of its stroke and during the drawing up of the needle thread loops by the needle, whereby fiat stitches will be formed.

Loca-ted beneathy the work support is a main shaft 12. Mounted on said shaft 12 is my improved rotating take-up cam 13. The construction of the take-up cam is best shown in Figures 3 to 5, inclusive. It consists of a solid portion having an opening 14e therethrough, which receives the main shaft and said cam is fixed to the shaft by a set-screw passing through the opening 15 in the cam. Said take-up cam is formed with a concentric portion 16, which is provided with a peripheral groove 17a lying in a plane passing between the side faces of the take-up cam. This groove extends `from one end of `finger 29.

the concentric portion to the other end thereof. The cam in operation turns in the direction of the arrow in Figure Following the concentric portion 16 in the direction of rotation is a concentric portion 17 which merges into an eccentric portion 18 and pre ceding the concentric portion 16 is an eccentric portion 19 which likewise merges into the concentric portion 16. It will be noted that the peripheral groove 1T is very shallow and is wholly at the periphery of the cam. Disposed at one side of the take-up cam is a thread take-up finger 2() and at the opposite side of this take-up cam is a thread take-up linger 21. These take-up fin ers, as herein shown, are independent of eacli other and are supported by a bracket 22 secured to the supporting bed 1. Said fingers extend forwardly, and, as above noted, on the opposite sides of the rotat-ing take-up cam 13.

These take-up fingers are mounted in hori- Zontal openings near the upper end of the bracket 22 and are secured in position by set screws 23 and 24, respectively. Said takeup lingers extend forwardly and downwardly i" and terminate at a point in front of the main shaft 12 and below the eccentric portion 19 when the parts are positioned as shown in Figure 6, so that the looper thread will be carried by the rotating cam against these take-up fingers which causes the thread to follow upwardly along the eccentric portion 19 of the rotating cam and to be stripped therefrom on to the concentric portion fol lowing.

The looper thread is indicated in the drawings at Z. It is led from the supply through thread nippers 25 which may be of the usual construction and then through a thread guiding finger 26 at one side of the take-up cam and a thread guiding finger 27 at the other side of the take-up cam. These gniding fingers 26 and 27 are of the usual eonstruction. They are mounted on the sup porting bracket 22 and extend forwardly in a substantially horizontal plane. The takeup cam rotating between said thread guiding fingers will engage the looper thread carrying the same around into contact with the thread take-up fingers and the action above described takes place.

Mounted in the upper end of the bracket 22 and between the take-up lingers 20 and 2l is a stud 27. This stud is capable of vertical adjustment in the bracket and may be l" held in adjusted position by a screw 28. Said stud is provided with a. horizontal opening which receives the shank of a check Said check finger may, therefore, be adjusted in an eudwise direction in the stud and is held in adjusted positions by a screw 30. Said check finger may be adjusted vertically by raising the stud, and may be adjusted horizontally by loosening the screw 30. The check finger extends horias the concentric portion 16 of the cam' passes the saine and the concentric portion 1T comes underneath the nose, the thread vvill be released. The thread nippers are also mounted on the bracket 22. The looper thread after leaving` the thread guiding fin ger 27 is lead directly to the looper.

The operation of iny device is as followsassuming that the take-up cani is in the position shovrn in Figure G. At this time the looper is at the forward end of its stroke. The rotation of the cam 13 Will cause the eccentric take-up portion 19 to co-operate with the thread talre-up ngers 2O and 21 and take up the slack in the looper thread due to the backward movement of the looper and thereby maintain the thread triangle, above referred to, Well open for the entrance of the needle into the same. The looper thread is gradually taken up until the point X is reached on the eccentric portion 'of the cam and then the thread is snapped or stripped off on to the concentric portion 16 ofthe cam. This release of the looper thread from further takeup action occurs when the needle in its descent is vvell into the thread triangle and should not occur until this condition is met. By adjusting the thread takeup lingers horizontally, the point at which the release of the thread from the eccentric take-up surface of the cam. on to the concentric surface 16 may be slightly varied. When the looper thread is released from the take up surface 19 on to the concentric surface 16, it is held in check yby the check finger 29, the lower end of which, as above noted, projects into the peripheral groove 17a a sufficient distance to hold the looper thread. By adjusting the endvvise position of this check finger and also the up and down position, so as to maintain its relation to the curved surface of the cam, the amount of slack lgiven to the looper thread immediately following the thread being cast from the take-up cam 19, may be varied. in other .vords, the farther the nose of the check lin ger is moved forwardly or to the right, as vieWedin Figure 7 of the drawings, the more slack will be given to t-he looper thread. rlhe looper thread is held by this check linger until the looper is near the rear end of its stroke. liVhen the concentric portion 17 passes underneath the nose of the check linger, the looper thread is released. Plow-- ever. this concentric eortion 17 is of a leno'thv f ci sufficient to prevent too much slack being given to the looper thread until the looper has cast the needle loop therefrom in its backward movement. Art this time the eccentric portion 18 contacts with the looper thr 'id and permits said looper thread to be given the ,greatest possible amount of slack. rl'his takes place when the needle is reaching the last portion of its down stroke and when the looper is reaching the last portion of its backward movement. The slack, as previously mentioned, permits the needle thread to draiv the previous needle thread loop up toward the underside of the fabric lwithout any restraining interference from the looper thread.

lt will be readily noted that., if the looper thread breaks, there are` no parts of the rotating take-up cam which can catch the broken end of the thread and Wind the looperI thread in and about the parts of said take-up, and at the samev time the looper thread is checked yor held by a single check finger and is perfectlycontrolled by the thread take-up "lingers rco-operatinp,` with said rotary take-up.`

lt Will be noted that the thread take-up lingers 20 and 21 extend a sufficient distance in adrance of the axis of the shaft 12, about which axis the take-upV cam rotates, that, if the machine is turned backward, these takeup fingers will hold the thread sufficiently out of the path of the eccentric surface 18 so as to prevent said eccentric surface from catching the thread and Winding' the saine around the Shaft.

It is `obvious that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts maybe made without departing from the spirit of the invention` as set forth in the appended claims.

' Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A. rotary take-up for sewing' machines "including a rotating shaft, a single take-up cani carried thereby and having a concentric portion formeduvitl'i a segmental. groove lying at'the periphery of said concentric portion, said take-up cani having` a smaller concentric portion and eccentric portions, the bottom of said segmental groove being flush Withthe. periphery of the smaller concentric portion and the eccentric portion adjiacent the ends of said concentric portion having` said segmental groove.

2. A. rotary takeeup for sewing machines including a rotating' shaft` a single takeup cam carried thereby and havingan eccentric take-up portion and a concentric retaining portion, said concentric retaining portion having a peripheral groove formed therein.` a check finger having` its free end extending; into said peripheral groove and operating to retain the thread on said concentric portion of said cam, take-up fingers disposed on opposite sides of the cam and having downwardly curved portions at their free ends adapted to co-operate with the take-up portion of the cam for strip-ping the thread from said take-u portion of the cam on said concentric iportion of said rotating take-up cam.

3. A rotary take-up for sewing machines including a rotating shaft, a single take-up cam carried thereby and having an eccentric take-up portion and a concentric retaining portion, `said concentric retaining portion having a peripheral groove formed therein, a check finger having its free end extending into said peripheral groove and operating/to retain the thread on said concentric portion of said cam, take-up fingersA disposed at opposite sides of the cam and having downwardly curved portions at their free ends adapted to co-operate with the take-up portion of the cam for stripping the thread from said take-up portion of the cam on saidconcentric portion of said rotating take-up cam, and means for horizontally adjusting said take-up fingers for varying the time when said thread is stripped from the take-up surface on to said concentric surface.

4.' A rotary take-up for sewing machines including a rotating shaft, a single take-up cam carried thereby and having an eccentric take-up portion and a concentric retaining portion, said concentric retaining portion having a peripheral. groove formed p therein, a check finger having its free end extending into said peripheral groove and operating to retain the thread on said concentric portion of said cam, take-up fingers disposed at opposite sides of the cam and having downwardly curved portions at their free ends adapted to co-operate with the take-up portion of the cam for stripping the thread from said ytake-up portion of the cam on said concentric portion of said rotating take-up cam, means for horizontally adjusting said take-up fingers for varying the time when said thread is stripiped from the take-up surface on to said concentric surface, and means Afor adjusting said take-up fingers vertically and horizontally for varying the relative position of thel same to the concentric portion of lthe rotary take-up. y

`5. A rotary take-up for sewing machines including a rotating shaft, a single take-up cam carried thereby, said cam having an eccentric take-up portion and a concentric retaining portion, said concentric retaining 'portion being formed with a peripheral groove, spaced take-up fingers at opposite sides ofthe cam co-operating with said take-up portion of the cam, a check finger having its free end extending downwardly i n `and into the said peripheral groove for retaining the thread on said concentric portion, said take-up cam having a concentric portion following the concentric portion formed with a peripheral groove and of less radius, whereby when said. last named concentric portion passes the take-np finger the thread will be released.

6. A rotary take-up for sewing machines `including a rotating shaft, a single takeup cam carried thereby, said cam having an eccentric take-up portion and a concentric retaining portion. said concentric retaining portion being formed with a peripheral groove, spaced take-np fingers at opposite sides of the cam co-operating with said takeup portion of the cam, a check finger liaving its free end extending downwardly and into the said peripheral groove for retaining the thread on said concentric portion, said takeup cam having a concentric portion following the concentric portion .formed with a peripheral groove and of less radins, whereby when said last named concentric portion passes the check finger the thread will be released, and said take-np cam having an eccentric portion following said last named concentric portion and shaped so as to give up further slack to the thread.

7. A rotary take-up cam for intermittently act-ing upon the thread to take up and allow feed of the thread, said cam including a concentric surface provided with a circumferential groove, and a concentric surface adjacent thereto and in line with the first-named concentric surface, the circumference of said last-named concentric surface being` in line with the bottoni of the groove in the first-named concentric surface.

8. A rotary take-np cam for intermittently acting upon the thread to take up and allow feed of the thread, said cam including a concentric thread engaging snrface having a circumferential groove formed therein, a single concentric portion af one end of said groove on to which said groove opens, and an eccentric surface at the other end of said groove on to which said groove opens.

9. A take-up mechanism for sewing chines comprising a rotating take-np cam having an eccentric thread engaging surface, thread guides for guiding a thread in the path of the eccentric thread engaging surface, take-up` fingers co-operating with said rotating cam, said fingers being disposed so as to release the thread from said eccentric surface when the take-np cam is turned in the wrong direction,

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JESSE J. HEAP.

mil'- Witnesses:

ROBERT BROCK, Onno J. OLSEN. 

